Richard A. Gutstadt did an excellent job handling my Social Security Disability case. After two prior denials, he successfully got my claim approved. He was knowledgeable, responsive, and professional throughout the process. I strongly recommend him to anyone needing disability representation. read more

Richard is a very knowledgeable, hardworking, and friendly attorney. I would highly recommend Richard, he has been super helpful in my case.

Although he wasn't able to help me he responded immediately with very helpful information and recommendations!

Rude! They say they do free consultations, never responded. I need help and answers, I would not suggest going there.

Just talked to Richard. He went through a good deal of effort to understand my case, to empathize, to help me understand how the SSDI process works and how much time it requires. He was open and transparent about his contingency structure of fees and had some good tips on how to proceed. Happy with my chat with him. read more

I sent an inquiry via their website asking about a SSDI attorney and two business days later I received a phone call from Richard Gutstadt. I am looking for an SSDI attorney for my hearing. I wasn't expecting him to be so very angry and aggressive with me right off the bat. He was very disrespectful and put me on the spot so much that I could not answer his questions in a satisfying manner to him. He was very angry throughout the whole conversation. At one point I even had to remind him that I was calling in order to potentially be a client of his, not to get the third degree. All in all it was a very short few minute conversation that due to Mr. Gutstadt's angry manner went off the rails very quickly. He was very angry and aggressive towards me for no reason whatsoever. This was the first time I had ever spoken to anyone in their law office. I was not disrespectful to him so I don't understand why they would be so angry with potential clients. I recommend passing on this law office and finding someone who is not so disrespectful and angry towards potential clients. If he's going to be so aggressive and angry when calling potential clients - how is he going to act when someone is actually his client? read more

After winning my case I had to wait months for payments due to past work with the Federal Government. Richard has been on my side all along. Even after he's been paid for work promised and all is well, I recently received a letter regarding "income" for the last 13 years. Overwhelmed by the request, I called his office and he has continued to help and fight for me even after we've won and his part was done. I can't tell you the awesome and amazing service I continue to receive. I would not be where I am today without the help of Richard and Eric. Highly Highly recommend! read more

I contacted Richard over 2 years ago after being denied my Disability benefits the first time. He and his partner, Eric, are extremely well-versed in SSDI law, processes & the court system. Additionally, they understand the human side of managing disability's and really care about their clients welfare. They are compassionate but straight forward and honest with clients -- a trait hard to find. Working with them at a distance during Covid lockdown was smooth & they were easily accessible anytime I needed them. We went through two rounds of filings with SSDI before I was approved in Dec 2021. And even after I was approved there is still wrap-up work and guidance they are providing. I could not have been successful without Richard & Eric's legal representation & guidance! I am thankful every day. read more

I got a notice from social security that my disability court date was going to be in two months. I had no lawyer and panicked. I did a Google search for disability lawyers. The first one I contacted was so rude, telling me that I shouldn't wait "until the last minute", as if I'd known, and had been just sitting around all day. Then I saw Richard Gutstadt's office. It had really good reviews, so I shot them an email, and they replied within a day. I worked mostly with his associate, Eric Patrick, and they were both so kind to me. I was scared and worried, but I didn't need to be. I'd never been to any kind of court hearing before, but they walked me through what to expect, which made it much less worrisome. And yes, I got my settlement! I can not recommend their office enough. Kind, courteous, and quick to answer questions, all the things you need! read more

When I first started working with Richard and Eric, I was really feeling like things were hopeless. I had been sick for over three years and was completely dependent on my mom who is on a small fixed income. I had fired my disability attorney and felt lost regarding what to do next. Hiring them was the best decision I ever made. Their guidance helped me manage the process with appropriate expectations and they often answered my questions before I even asked them. I won my case and I now have the resources I need to pay my mom back, take care of myself, and treat the illnesses that put me in this position. I no longer feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders with little hope in sight. Eric and Richard are both extremely professional, responsive, fair, and very easy to work with. They know what they are doing, and they managed my complicated case thoroughly to ensure the judge had everything needed to decide fully in my favor. read more

If you're applying for SSI/SSDI you should consider acquiring a lawyer! Unless you have a major disability, terminal illness, cancer, or are a wounded/disabled vet (and even then), you need the knowledge and professional guidance of a lawyer to navigate this deceptively complicated process! Even with, what I thought was a pretty straight forward claim, I was denied 3 times! Accessing medical records, repeatedly providing requested forms/info, doing everything asked of me, I had pretty much given up in frustration as I finally requested a hearing! Contacting Richard and Eric at the Gutstadt law firm just before this hearing was the best thing I could have done! They were even suggested to me early on when I was dealing with my worker's comp claim... before my naïveté understood how truly necessary it was! Given all the variables, both Eric and Richard thought my case didn't have much of a chance but they still took me on and were present during my hearing, long story short I was approved for benefits current and retro!!! Both men were very courteous and thorough but most of my communications were with Richard. Richard was patient, completely explained everything in layman's terms when needed, always replied immediately... all in all, he was like one of those teachers/professors that you love so much because they are not only knowledgeable but they make the subject so clear, interesting, and are so helpful in every aspect. Had I sought their representation at the onset of my worker's comp ordeal, perhaps I would not have wasted 2yrs of denials, stress and money lost! Do yourself a favor and have Richard and Eric assess your case to see if they can help you... it's well worth it!!! read more

Eric and Richard are literally the most fantastic lawyers - and people - I've ever had the privilege of meeting. They took my tough case and never looked back. My case has since resolved with the most amazing outcome above and beyond my imagination's best hope. But, best of all, Eric and Richard, along with everyone in their office, genuinely care about their clients as people. I can honestly say that hiring them will be one of the best decisions of your life. I know it was for me. read more

Richard,Eric and the whole office were nothing but professional and knowledgeable for my social security case. Don't hesitate to call their office so that they can help you or yours with your case. Thank You for all your help and understanding. read more

I used the services of Richard and his partner Eric to fight my SSDI claim that was repeatedly denied. My claim got to the point where I had to fight it in court and that is when I contacted this office. We met for an initial visit where they discuss your background and whether you have a case or not. Thankfully I did and they started working on my case right away. They handled all the medical records and paperwork history from the SS office. After personally fighting for just about a year, I was able to sit aside while they fought for me. I always felt comfortable with them and if I ever had any questions I could contact them anytime. Prior to court we discussed what would happen and who the judge would be. Fortunately they have been in the business long enough to be familiar with the judges in the area and visa versa. I was incredibly nervous during court but Eric kept me on track. In the end we won! Even after the trial they don't stop working for you. Richard will review the finances that SS should be paying monthly to see if it is correct or not. Mine was not and he fought for me to fix it. Bottom line, these guys are professional, knowledgeable, friendly and you can't ask for a better team to fight your SSDI case. I am forever indebted to these guys. read more

My son was in need of legal assistance and we contacted Richard Gutstadt's office. We were desperately in need of crucial information to know how to proceed with our case to properly represent ourselves with Social Security Disability. I was contacted immediately by an incredibly caring individual, Brenda Gutstadt, who assured me that Richard would be more than happy to assist with our questions. I was so pleased to hear from him first thing the next morning and he addressed all of our concerns, questions and assisted in providing us with important information that led us to properly proceed with our communications with SSA. I am so very thankful for their open hearts, caring and sharing their outstanding knowledge. My questions were perfectly addressed and I want to share my incredible experience with his firm with you! Do not hesitate to contact them for your case. You cannot connect with a more knowledgeable attorney for your requirements dealing with SSA. Look no further!!! read more

First, let me say that Richard A. Gutstadt and Eric Patrick SSDI attorneys were a Blessing from above for my case! As my first Attorney had moved to Oregon suddenly and told me that he couldn't represent me at my SSDI hearing as he first promised, which meant that I had to look for a Professional and Knowledgeable SSDI Attorney quickly! Well, thank God I called the office of Richard A. Gustadt, instead of turning me away since the case was coming up shortly in front of the Judge, the office embraced my case and represented me in a short period of time with SUCCESSFUL results! To say the least I was elated when I won my case! Richard, Eric and Staff made sure every aspect of my case was looked at in a timely manner before and after to maximize my benefit, making sure everything was aligned! I am VERY GRATEFUL for their knowledge and expertise of the law surrounding SSDI, and their warm and friendly communication before and after my case in answering ALL my questions without hesitation and in a timely manner! Thank you Richard, Eric and Staff! YOUR LAW OFFICE/SSDI TEAM MADE THE DIFFERENCE! Many Blessings to ALL of you! read more

Our daughter has a complex and rather unusual medical condition. Her medical records are voluminous and go back years. Her application and appeal were initially denied. Frankly, it didn't appear that SSA spent much, if any, time or thought in dealing with the claim even though my wife and I spent literally hundreds of hours preparing the materials for ease of use. We then started looking for a lawyer. The first lawyer we consulted yelled at us because our daughter wasn't at the meeting -- although his scheduler had agreed she need not attend due to her condition. Going to Richard and Eric was different. It was helpful that Eric has a medical background that enabled him to understand the medical situation. Eric and Brenda worked very hard to get the case prepared, and our daughter was able to receive the benefits to which she is entitled. What is particulaly striking is the effort and knowledge that the team puts in even though the government allows them very small fees. That should be fixed! read more

I can't say enough about these guys. Eric took my wife's case with little time to prepare after our previous representation proved unreliable and unethical. They were up front and honest about our chances. They spent time with us to prepare and did an outstanding job representing us. I would recommend them to anyone. They really seemed like they cared about our situation. And we won our case. read more

Eric Patrick, Richard A. Gutstadt and their office manager Brenda Gutstadt have all been so wonderful to work with. Eric Patrick was extremely honest and did not want to waste his or my time, which I appreciated. From the second we met, he carefully listened to me and told me whether he thinks he could help or not. He represented me after being denied for disability. If you are in need of a Social Security Disability attorney then search no more. I highly recommend working with Eric. Him and his team were helpful throughout the entire process. No surprises whatsoever as you will also be updated throughout the process. Thanks so much to Eric and his team, my case was approved. Once approved, Richard reached out to me regularly to make sure I got paid. He continuously offered helpful information to ensure that I got paid as quickly as possible. read more

After contacting several attorneys identified online as disability attorneys they couldn't or wouldn't help me with my claim for some reason. Fortunately, one of them suggested I contact Richard Gutstadt's Law Office and I'm so happy they took my case! They clearly explained the application process and towards the end, the appeal process. Applying for SSDI is very time consuming and a long waiting game. I was denied twice (which is almost the norm at no fault of mine or the Gutstadt Law Office), as it's just what the government does in most cases, no matter how serious your injury or illness is. Deny twice, appeal once, then if you have good medical records from your doctors office that justify permanent disability, approval. If I didn't have Richard and Eric contact me when something specific was needed, I probably would've been denied. But I wasn't. I was approved after my appeal hearing. Once I hired them, SSDI sent them everything they sent me. I was so thankful that they contacted me and explained when and what was due. They did a lot of legwork on their end and only contacted me when I needed to give my doctors office a push to get records in or if I was close to being late with something that was due by a certain date. I was prepped for my appeal hearing as to the types of questions that might be asked of me and rundown of how the hearing would go. Never once did they say or do anything unethical. They had their own forms that also went to my physicians offices and perhaps it wouldn't have gone in my favor if they didn't have all of the information that was included in the form that was sent to my various physicians offices. I was very concerned about possibly being denied over the 18 month process but felt at ease after talking to Richard or Eric about it. I highly recommend Richard Gutstadt Law Office to anyone who's been denied SSDI benefits. They'll be honest, responsive and very thorough as your attorneys. Thank you again Richard and Eric! You did a fantastic job...and now, I can breathe! read more

Can't say how grateful I am that They took the time to take my Cold call of various "Fully Approved" questions. Steered me in the right direction, and pat me on the head...these guys are the ones you'll want to talk too. read more

Richard, Eric and Denise were super nice to my son and me. They were accessible and highly competent. They successfully appealed my son's discontinuation of benefits in about half the time it was expected to take. We couldn't be happier. They would have made more money dragging this out. They put our family first and we deeply appreciate that. A top notch law firm. read more

As a former lawyer, I know what top-notch legal representation looks like, and that's what I got from the Law Offices of Richard A. Gutstadt. I filed my SSDI case on my own and when it was denied, I tried to get several lawyers to take my case. I was turned down by a few lawyers, but then I found Richard Gutstadt and his associate Eric Patrick. Not only did they take my case, they won it for me! Eric Patrick did an awesome job at my appeal hearing. He was very well prepared and really familiar with my huge medical file. At the hearing, it was clear that the judge knew and, more importantly, respected Eric. I felt like Eric had great credibility with the judge, and that his credibility definitely helped my case. Once my appeal was granted, Richard Gutstadt made sure that the Social Security Administration paid me and that my benefits were correct. When there were a few problems in getting paid, Richard was really persistent in making sure that everything got straightened out. The whole process took a long time, but I felt like Eric and Richard were on top of it throughout the case. They were always happy to answer my questions, and checked in on me regularly to make sure that things were moving along. Everyone in the office, including the staff who answered the phones and the paralegals who worked on my case, was organized, kind, professional and pleasant. It was a huge relief to me to know that my case was in good hands. Richard and Eric are the real deal -- good lawyers who know their stuff, care about their clients, and fight hard for them. I am really glad I had them on my side. read more

I was completely mortified at the thought of having to go to court, and almost cancelled my case until I google searched information about appeals hearings and found this office. I reached out to them through their website and received a quick response from Eric . After a pleasant and very comfortable phone conversation he advised me to bring my file in for review ( or at least what records I had ). I was very late in Contacting an attorney and had only 3 weeks until my Hearing date and wasn't sure if they could help Me with my case. Thank God I went to them! they took my case and advised me of what other documentation and medical records I needed to obtain before the hearing . Richard met me at court before the hearing and was so extremely pleasant, comforting and thorough ! I was so nervous I could hardly go in but he kept me at ease and in the end , won my case with a fully favorable decision . I can't thank them enough for their professionalism, kindness and honesty !! If you are considering getting an attorney to help you don't hesitate and call them! read more

Richard Gutstadt's office worked for over two years with me on my disability claim. During that time I met several people in their office and each was kind, professional and clearly knew the best way for my claim to proceed. Over the 2 years, both staff and lawyers spoke to me regularly, answered all my questions knowledgeably and with specific information that could help my case. I found them to have an excellent knowledge of disability laws. Their office, and specifically my lawyer, Eric Patrick, was always there for me, often calling me to help with paperwork before I even received it in the mail; their office always offered to fill it all out for me also if I was unable. I must also remark on their staff: I spoke regularly to the staff and they were professional, knowledgeable and helpful but above that, they were extremely kind. My claim process went exactly as Mr. Patrick had laid out for me in the beginning: possibly I would be denied initially but the Mr. Patrick and their law offices would help me at every point. Mr. Patrick and Mr. Gutstadt both met with me at length before my hearing and prepared me in terms of what to expect, how to prepare for it, and how best to present myself during the hearing. They even knew many of the judges in the area and knew how each might tend to see my case. Of course the judge was assigned randomly but all the preparation worked. Even after the determination was made and everything was settling, their office reviewed the disability claim to ensure that all had been done correctly by the Disability office. Would I recommend them? Absolutely. Would I hire them again: Yes! read more

Our 37 year old son has numerous disabilities and currently is unable to work or live on his own. I (as his designated SS representative) started assisting him to file for Social Security Disability in 2012. But I had no idea how difficult the process was and the amount of time and documentation required. For over 3 1/2 years my son's applications and, numerous appeals were constantly being rejected by Social Security throughout every stage of their process. As time passed, it became more discouraging because his conditions worsened due to the lack of proper medical and psychiatric care he badly needed and could only obtain from the Social Security Disability System. Last year, (after 4 years of appeals and rejections), we realized that we needed legal help for my son and contacted the Gutstadt Law Firm about representing him for his final SS appeal (requiring him to appear before an Administrative Judge.) The result: Mr. Gutstadt presented a well prepared, very effective case which resulted in a successful, favorable decision by the Administrative Judge. Our son is now receiving his disability benefits, and most importantly finally getting medical care to treat his disabilities. We are very grateful and want to thank Mr. Richard Gutstadt and his associate Mr. Eric Patrick for their excellent work. They are outstanding, professional, compassionate attorneys, and extremely knowledgeable of the laws governing the Social Security Disability System. Mr. Gutstadt and Mr. Patrick kept us informed (addressing all our questions and concerns) at every step and helped our disabled son so he was able to attend in person in front of the Judge. Also, we want to complement their office staff who were always responsive, and efficiently assembled all the necessary documents in a very short time period. Even after the favorable decision, Mr. Gutstadt has followed-up with us to ensure all the benefits were being provided. Thank you again for obtaining the social security disability support, and giving our son new hope for a healthier future. read more